How Do You Respect Your Salmon?

Well...PETA is at it again. They are protesting the men who throw the fish at the fish counter that is at the very opening of the Pike Place Market...those guys who yell,"HALI-BUTT!!!!!! GOIN HOME!!!!" then they toss a giant fish with great enthusiasm, over the tops of the heads of the hundreds of tourists, to another guy who proceeds to cut, gut, clean and wrap it to send it home to its new owner. More seasoned shoppers know to duck when they hear,"2 Crab...Commin To Ya!!!" but there are those few unfortunates who have been smacked in the face by a flying crustacean. (that's a free crab dinner if that happens)

PETA claims this is "disrespectful" to the fish that have already gone through a "agonizingly painful death". Now, I have often wondered myself, what it must feel like to a King Crab or a bottom feeding fish to be brought up from several fathoms to the surface in a few seconds. A human being would go through the bends for sure. PETA claims that when a fish is caught, the rapid rise to the surface bursts their air bladder, causing great pain. I too have also wondered if indeed a fish does feel pain. I would think so, which is why I think 'catch and release" is a cruel thing to do. I think that has got to hurt its cheek, having a hook torn out of it or worse yet, having it go down their little throats and then having to be pulled back up and out. Not to mention all that time out of the water, gasping for 'air'.

I think, if you are going to put a fish through the torture of being caught, then just follow through and kill it and eat it for craps sake. I would be curious to know what the survival rate is for the fish that have been yarded up top just to be tossed back into the depths. I wonder what the conversation is when they get back down to their fish families and friends.

Do they go talk to their buddies and say "Man, I was just minding my own business when I saw free food, just floating right in front of my face so I took a bite and BAM...I went to the light...dude it was the RAPTURE!! I SAW THE BOAT!!! I was IN the boat...then these giant monsters just ripped the shit outta my face and threw my ass back into the water. I was stunned a bit but sure as I got my sea legs back, I swam my ass off to get back home. Man, that was a close one. If I ever see a day-glo egg or a worm just floating around, I ain't never gonna take the bait... No way....and I highly suggest you heed my warning! There ain't no free lunch down here..uh-huh...no way!"


That would be the equivalent of our 'near death experiences' wouldn't ya think? People cant wait to give you their near death story...how they 'saw the tunnel of light" and they wanted to "go to the light" but then felt that pull back to their bodies and they weren't ready to go yet. I wonder if those little fishies have that same feeling?

Back to PETA...they are protesting the fish mongers tossin the fish over the people's heads and yelling. They say,"If those were kittens or baby lambs being thrown around, people wouldn't feel the same way at all." what a stupid argument...HELLO...they aren't throwing kittens or baby lambs. That would be gross. We don't eat kittens or lambs...that goes on across the pond in China and shit. These fish are DEAD. They don't feel anything. People find it entertaining to watch. Every now and then, they pull some dude out of the crowd who says he could catch one of these air borne salmon...so they let him try. It's funnier than hell to watch. Not just anyone can catch a 20 lb. slippery assed, flying fish flavored missile comin at'em at like 40 mph. No way...That takes years of training to get that art down to the perfection like those dudes. I love to watch them.

PETA goes after some very good causes from time to time. I donate to like 10 charities but PETA is NOT one of them. Their advertising tactics are gross and just plain unnecessary. I support being kind and humane to all creatures, great and small. I don't agree with animal testing. I don't agree with exotic animals being turned into pets. I certainly do not condone the circus and Rodeos using animals to do things that they NEVER would be doing in the wild, for "entertainment purposes". I despise Rodeos and circuses. I protest the Ringling Bros. Circus all the time when they come to town. Also, as beautiful and entertaining as it is to watch, I don't agree with Marine World or any other amusement park that uses Orcas and Sea Lions, Penguins or any other marine mammal, to perform in these pools that are like one billionth the size of what they were meant to live in..i.e. THE OCEAN.

I definitely have my opinions on animal cruelty and abuse. Throwing a dead salmon or halibut is NOT animal cruelty or 'disrespectful' as far as I am concerned. I think this is the most ridiculous thing they have even taken on and I certainly don't think people are going to take them seriously. What, did things slow down in the real world of animal cruelty and abuse? I don't think so. There are Panda Bears losing their habitat in China. There are Polar Bears losing their habitat in Antarctica. There is a hideous waste of salmon right here in Snohomish County because of the Natives overfishing...oh don't get me started on that one.

OK, that's my rant for the day. I think the fish mongers should be able to throw as many fish as far as they want to. I know the fish don't mind. They are dead...dead and delicious. Yeah, I know...they are an animal and I Love animals so how can I eat them. Well, I'll tell you how....with lemon butter onions and a tad of garlic and loaf of sour dough bread and a cold glass of Pinot Grechio.. That's how and I highly recommend it for you to give it a try. MMMMmmmmmm Good!!